The present invention relates generally to devices used for drying dishes and more particularly to portable devices for drying dishes.
Dish strainers are well known in the art. A traditional prior art dish strainer is made of a grid of plastic coated wires which forms a basket sized to fit into a sink. An example of the same is disclosed by W. D. Taylor in U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,395. There are several disadvantages to dish strainers that fit into a rinse sink. First, the strainer necessarily occupies the sink space. Thus, when dishes are positioned on the strainer and drying, the sink cannot be used. Additionally, if the sink which the dish strainer occupies is one of a two-sink pair, use of the other sink may undesirably cause water to splash onto the dishes that are drying. Furthermore, when such a conventional dish strainer is not being used, it occupies space in the sink. Moreover, the walls of the sink in which the strainer sits restrict airflow around the dishes and cause increased drying time.
It is also known to place dish strainers on a counter top instead of in the sink, such dish strainers typically being angled to drain into the sink. An example of such a dish strainer is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,446,592 to R. M. Smythe. The disadvantage of the counter top dish strainer is that it takes up valuable counter space, which is especially disadvantageous in small kitchens with little counter space. Furthermore, the counter may become stained with water spots in the location the dish strainer is placed. Bacteria, mold, mildew and the like may also from on the counter from water which drains from the dishes.
To address the problem of a dish strainer occupying valuable counter space, U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,927 (Hubbard) discloses a dish strainer that is pivotably attached to a wall and which pivots upward and away from the counter top when not in use. One drawback of the device of the ""927 patent is that it occupies as much space when in its storage position as it does in its use position. Dish strainers that fold into a cabinet are also known in the art and examples of the same are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,538,233 (Brandstorm) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,352 (Okada et al.). While an improvement over traditional strainers, these cabinet-type dish strainers have drawbacks. For example, the device described in the ""352 patent is overly complex and requires a relatively large cabinet. The cabinet door for the device shown in the ""233 patent undesirably doubles as a surface on which water drains when the strainer is in use. Furthermore, while the device of the ""233 patent conveniently folds away, the dish strainer disclosed is substantially the same size in its stored and use positions. Further, the device of the ""233 patent is impractical for use in Campers and RV""s where space is limited.
What is needed is a space saving and portable dish strainer that overcomes that the drawbacks of the prior art noted above.
The present invention provides a dish drying apparatus including a cabinet that houses a dish strainer. In use, the strainer hangs from an arm member that extends from the cabinet and the strainer includes multiple dish racks that are connected to one another by flexible bands. When not in use, the dish strainer can be collapsed, pivoted upwardly, and stored within the cabinet. Advantageously, in preferred embodiments, the arm member is extendable and vertically adjustable, such that placement of the cabinet with respect to the sink over which the strainer is intended to hang is not critical.
In one form thereof, the present invention provides a dish drying apparatus comprising a cabinet. A dish strainer is movably attached to the cabinet, and the dish strainer further comprises a plurality of nestable racks connected to one another. The dish strainer has a storage position in which the racks are nested and the strainer is disposed within the confines of the cabinet. The dish strainer also has a use position in which the racks are spaced apart and disposed exteriorly of the cabinet. In this manner dishes may be supported on the dish strainer in the use position and the strainer may be stored within the cabinet in the storage position.
In a preferred form, the dish drying apparatus further comprises an arm member having a first end thereof pivotably attached to an inside wall of the cabinet and having a second end thereof attached to the dish strainer, the dish strainer hanging from and supported by the arm member in the use position. More preferably, the arm member is extendible, in one preferred embodiment by means of telescopic segments. In another preferred form, the height of the arm member with respect to the cabinet is adjustable by means of a pair of tracks having teeth which engage a plate in several vertical positions.
In another preferred form, the inventive dish drying apparatus further includes a collapsible basket disposed intermediate two of the racks. The basket provides a container for holding flatware within the dish strainer.
In another preferred form, the dish strainer further comprises frame members disposed intermediate the racks. The frame members provide a framework for holding dishes in place within the dish strainer.
One advantage of the present invention is that it provides a dish strainer that can be conveniently positioned over a rinse sink to dry dishes, and then collapsed, folded into and concealed in a relatively small cabinet when not in use. Similarly, because the inventive dish strainer collapses to only a small fraction of its use size, the depth of the cabinet is quite small and occupies little space within the kitchen in which it is installed.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it frees up valuable counter space in small kitchens. With the present invention, when the dish strainer is not being used, it folds away into a relatively small cabinet. On the other hand, even when being used, the inventive dish strainer is suspended over the sink, and thus does not occupy space on the counter or in the sink.
Still another advantage of the dish strainer of the present invention is that the strainer is suspended above the counter, thereby maximizing the airflow surrounding the dishes, in turn reducing the time required to dry them.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that suspending the dish strainer above the counter reduces the amount of water than collect thereon, and therefore reduces the possibility of bacteria, mildew and other such substances contaminating the dish strainer.